{"id":1332,"date":"2014-02-27T05:46:37","date_gmt":"2014-02-27T05:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.modernfix.com.php72-4.lan3-1.websitetestlink.com\/?p=1332"},"modified":"2014-02-27T05:46:37","modified_gmt":"2014-02-27T05:46:37","slug":"coachwhips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernfix.com\/interviews-2\/coachwhips\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Coachwhips"},"content":{"rendered":"

(this interview originally appeared as the cover feature for issue #41 of Modern Fix Magazine in 2004).<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

– interview by Gordon Downs <\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sitting a mere stones throw away from Interstate 5-North, I find myself sitting with John Dwyer and Valtronic of the Coachwhips. There\u2019s a heavy smell of fecal matter that none of us can help avoid noticing. With a little help from Joe Camel and a couple of tallboys, we were able to brave through the stench and managed to get John and Val to chat about the Coachwhips\u2019 latest tour of the US, and maybe give a little insight into the next album.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast night we played in Arizona,\u201d explains Dwyer of the Coachwhips\u2019 gig the previous evening. \u201cThere was this woman there, who was like a \u2018Mom\u2019 kind of figure. She was the only person that would really talk to us there. When we were setting up she walked over to me and she was like, \u2018Are you guys playing right here? That\u2019s cool!\u2019 All the kids that were at the show split because all of these pop-punk bands played before us. Then we went and played this bar later and had one of the best shows of our whole tour. Just like a total dance party. But that woman came to that show as well!\u201d Dwyer explains excitedly. \u201cShe was all sweaty and dancing, \u201c adding that\u201d it\u2019s cool that we can appeal to someone\u2019s Mom.\u201d Though he quickly says, \u201cGod I hope she has kids? She looked like a Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Coachwhips are notorious for their live shows, which usually (more like ALWAYS) take place on the floor of the venue they\u2019re performing at. \u201cWe haven\u2019t played on a stage yet.\u201d Dwyer adds.<\/p>\n

Like a crazed carnival barker set loose with a guitar, Dwyer makes it a point to keep the crowd moving, even if it involves lunging into the audience with his guitar and homemade microphone clamped in his mouth. \u201cWe had this one time when they were really adamant about us playing up on stage.\u201d Explains current keyboardist Valtronic (of the notorious Double Dutchess crew from San Francisco.) \u201cThe woman who owned the club,\u201d continues Dwyer, \u201cwas obviously going through chemotherapy, and I knew it right by looking at her. I could tell right away she was going to be uptight about us not playing on-stage. We hardly ever ask [to play on the floor] we just do it.\u201d Dwyer explains. \u201cBecause then you don\u2019t have to be told no.\u201d adds Val. \u201cBut this time I felt like I had to ask because she was obviously sick. So I asked her and she was like, \u2018No. Just on the stage, blah, blah, blah.\u2019 Then I talked to the sound guy and he said, \u2018Well honestly, she\u2019ll probably leave soon, so just wait until she leaves and then set-up.\u2019 So this whole time we\u2019re watching this woman with a bandana on, waiting for her to leave. The second she left, we assembled everything really fast and played. It was a really fun show considering it was at a terrible place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Essentially, the Coachwhips are John Dwyer with a rotating line-up of musicians and friends. \u201cI started playing with the Coachwhips last summer, just filling in for the prior keyboard player.\u201d adds Val. With Dwyer taking up duties on guitar and vocals, and the drums stripped down to the raw essentials: snare, kick drum, hi-hat and floor tom, the one real piece of equipment that sounds as if it\u2019s been modified is the keyboard. \u201cIt\u2019s a Casio Tone.\u201d Val says. \u201cIt\u2019s a little shitty white one that I bought off a bum for three bucks.\u201d<\/p>\n